Ornamental bell construction



June 12, 1956 R. BRADSHAW ORNAMENTAL BELL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 27,1953 INVENTOR fiuo'se Hiram sham 954mm V ATTORNEY ORNAMENTAL BELLCONSTRUCTION Russell R. Bradshaw, Midland, Mich.

Application July 27, 1953, Serial No. 370,437

1 Claim. Cl. 41-40) This invention relates to ornamental bells andsimilar objects and more particularly to vari-colored bells etc. made upof plastic or similar material.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide an ornamentwhich is attractively formed in the shape of a bell, flower or otherobject, and which can be strung on cord or tied in small clusters andused as ornaments for Christmas trees or decorations for gift packagesand the like.

A further object is to provide an ornamental bell and other objects,which can be constructed of a light and inexpensive material in largequantities, and which is preferably cast of plastic in two componentparts, these parts being so shaped as to permit a rapid and easyassembly thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ornamental bell inwhich the head of the clapper is readily pressed through a passage inthe top of the bell and retained in position by frictional engagementswith the walls of the passage.

With the above and other objects in View, the present invention consistsin the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood thatchanges may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details ofconstruction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my ornamental bell.

Fig. 2 is a sectional, front elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective, front elevational view of the clapper memberonly.

Fig. 4 is a sectional, end elevational view taken on the line 44 of Fig.1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in which I have shown thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the letter B generally indicatesan ornamental bell, which comprises a bell frame having a clapper member11 mounted therein. The frame 10 and clapper 11 are preferably formed orcast separately of a colorful plastic material such as polystyrene,cellulose acetate, or others having similar properties, and in anydesired size, and are then assembled.

The clapper member 11 includes a bent stem 12 of cylindrical crosssection, and a striker ball 13 integrally formed on the lower endthereof. Provided on the upper end of the stem 12 is a flattened headportion 14, said head being somewhat narrower than the diameter of thestem 12 to form fiat shoulder surfaces 15 adjacent the lower edgethereof, and a slotted opening or eye 16 is provided in said head.

The head portion 14 is mounted in a passage 17 proatent ice vided in thetop of the bell frame 10 and is of a size to frictionally engage themarginal walls defining the passage 17. That is, at least one of thedimensions of the head portion 14 of the stem part is greater than thecorresponding dimension of the slot or passage 17, thereby causing thematerial bounding the slot to yield when the head portion of the stem isinserted into the slot so as to permit passage of the head portionthrough the slot. The relatively large dimension of the part 14 will notbe so much greater than the corresponding dimension of the slot as tocause yielding of the plastic material beyond its elastic limit, but itshould be large enough to flex the plastic sufiiciently that theresilience of the latter will cause the walls of the slot to grip thepart 14 and frictionally retain it in the slot. The upper end of thehead being rounded as shown so that it can be readily threaded orinserted in said passage.

The assembly of the clapper 11 is, of course, effected through the openbottom of the bell frame 10, the head 14 being inserted in the passage17, and is forced upwardly therethrough until the shouldered sections 15of the clapper bottom against the inner face of the top of the bell, thefrictional contact of the head with the passage Walls serving to firmlyhold the clapper in position.

The eye 16 of the head 14 is disposed above the top of the assembledbell, and a length of light wire or cord (not shown) may be passedtherethrough to hang or afiix the bell.

In practice, the ornamental bells are cast in light pastel colors andstrung on lengths of cord or tied in small clusters. While they areideal for use as Christmas tree ornaments and in the gift wrapping ofpackages, they will, of course, find a multitude of other decorativeuses.

From the above, it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple,attractive, and inexpensive bell structure for the purpose described.

What I claim is:

An ornamental bell construction composed of a twopart assemblycomprising a bell shaped body having a top section formed of yieldable,resilient plastic material provided with a substantially centrallylocated slot and a clapper member formed of similar material having astem which is bent intermediate its ends, one end of said stem extendingthrough said slot and being shaped to correspond substantially to theshape of said slot, at least one dimension of said one end of said stembeing greater than the corresponding dimension of said slot so that thepresence of said one end of said stem in said slot causes the materialbounding said slot to yield to accommodate said one end of said stemwhereby the resilience of said material causes the edges of saidcorresponding dimension of said slot to grip said one end of said stemso as frictionally to retain said clapper member in assembled relationwith said bell body, said stem having shoulders adja cent to said oneend thereof engaging the top section of said bell body for limiting theextent said one end of said stem projects through said slot, therelative dimensions of said body and said clapper member being such thatin assembled relation the end of said bent stem remote from said one endis located in engagement with said bell body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,570,145 Heller Jan. 19, 1926 2,451,649 Andreoli Oct. 19, 19482,584,223 Petelinsek Feb. 5, 1952

